Je Ne Mourrai Pas
by Stitch-Stalker
Summary: The year was 2081 and the world was finally equal." Nobody was smarter, stronger, or better looking than anyone else, and this was enforced brutally. Only Harrison Bergeron challenged this world, but he was shot. Though what if he had lived?
1. An Unseen Circumstance

Note From the Author: I wrote this story as a project for my 9th grade English class. We were to read the short story Harrison Bergeron and continue to story as if Harrison had not been shot. Harrison Bergeron is a magnificent story, detailing a frightening future where everyone is equal in every way, and nobody challenges the way they live, except Harrison Bergeron. If you haven't read the brilliant short story by Kurt Vonnegut before, I urge you to do so, and a copy can be found on Yahoo I believe. The story intrigued me to no end, and thus, with a little bit of typing, Je Ne Mourrais Pas was born. It's a bit longer than I would have liked, but I am proud of it none the less. Have a nice day, and I hope you enjoy the story. (Just a side note, I've just started writing on fanfiction.net and I'm afraid I haven't totally learned the formatting part of the uploading section. So please excuse any messy transitions, and I hope that won't deter you.)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the short story "Harrison Bergeron", nor do I own any of the recognizable characters or settings. They are simply the brilliant work of Kurt Vonnegut. I also do not own the title to this story. I borrowed it from a line from one of my favorite fanfiction.net stories. A Maurader's tale known as Forever Alive by Mordred. I strongly suggest that you read her story as well, and I hope she does not mind that I borrowed her sentence.  
  
An Unseen Circumstance  
  
"You have ten seconds to get your handicaps back on!" Diana Moon Glampers shouted to the musicians on stage. The scene around her was devastating. An attempted revolt against her equal world had taken place and now two dead bodies lay on the ground. Harrison Bergeron, a genius with a godlike face that could carry 300 pounds was dead, and with him, his empress. They had ruled the world for five minutes. Now, the Handicapper General Diana Moon Glampers was attempting to squash all future rebellions. She would teach them all a lesson.  
"Cut the television connection!" She shouted, and their channel lost power. She directed her loaded gun back at the musicians, who were struggling to replace their handicaps. She nodded in the direction of the two dead bodies. "Let this be a lesson to all, that equality is here to stay! Anyone who dares challenge it may stand up now!" Only one man stood up. A musician in the back by the name of Jonathon Tempers rose quickly from his chair. "Down with equality!" he shouted, and he managed to fiddle out four notes of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" before the poor man's blood mingled with that on the floor. No one else rose.  
Diana smirked. She had been worried for a brief period, but now all order was restored. Her world of equality returned. Diana called for her H- G men and prepared to leave the TV studio.  
"What should we do with the bodies, madam?" one man asked her.  
"Leave them. We will loop the video of their deaths and leave their bodies to rot as a warning. Equality is here to stay."  
  
***  
  
Hours passed and eventually the TV studio was empty. All was quiet. The lights were off. There was no movement. Then, a slight quiver came from the back of the room. Something was there.  
Harrison Bergeron, the 14-year-old giant slowly sat up. He rubbed his head in pain, trying to comprehend what had happened. He had been dancing, kissing. He was emperor. Then shots, explosions, pain, and darkness. Harrison had been shot with a slug; by all rights he should be dead. Quickly, he eyed his chest and found an empty birdshot bag. When he had ripped off his handicaps in front of the world, he had left one twenty-five pound bag of birdshot draped over his heart, just in case. (A man does not wear giant headphones because he is stupid.) When the Handicapper General had shot him, she had been aiming for his heart, and her aim was good.  
1% perception and 99% luck had saved Harrison's life.  
When Harrison was shot, the impact of lead on lead had pushed him back in midair. On the way down, he had hit his head on the corner of a table. Unconsciousness had followed.  
Now, Harrison sat still, observing his surroundings. No one was around, and it was obviously late. A body of a man lay on the ground next to him and next to that body was...  
He rushed over to the empress, her natural beauty still radiating on her pale face. She had not been so lucky. Harrison stroked her hair with his immense hands and spoke.  
"You were a wonderful dancer, too beautiful to die..." Harrison balled his hands into large fists and cried out in anger.  
Later that evening, two pairs of footsteps reverberated throughout the studio. People were coming! Harrison resumed acting dead, but eavesdropped on their conversation. The two men who entered were in their late thirties and carried no handicaps. They were either close workers of the Handicapper General, or incredibly average.  
"She's closing this studio? Why?"  
"She doesn't want people to be inspired by that, thing that happened earlier."  
"People could get inspired?"  
"Of course! Instead, she just wants the video of those two getting shot played over and over. You can't have two different programs on a channel at once!"  
"Why not?"  
"Well, you just can't!" The rest of the conversation carried on dully, but Harrison took in every word they said. The two nailed up every window and door, sealing the place permanently. When they finally left, Harrison got up again and grinned. The studio was completely closed. No one would bother him. What better place to hide out then the place you "died" in?  
  
***  
  
Harrison passed the time watching the television in the studio. He flipped through the channels, trying to decide what his next move would be.  
Click, a perfectly average sports game where no one won.  
Click, a debate in which neither side was stronger than the other.  
Click, a movie with mediocre actors, playing their part no better than anyone else.  
Click, all of this equality was making Harrison sick.  
Click, Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison sat up quickly and paid attention to this woman on the screen. She was addressing the nation, explaining what had gone on the day before with Harrison. She spoke as if it was a tragic event, but her point was clear enough. Try what that bozo did and suffer the same fate. Harrison Bergeron's blood boiled just watching her.  
Diana had been the one to enact the equality amendments, claiming it was for the good of society. Harrison however detected a more selfish reason. Diana was as average as they came. She had an average intelligence, an average strength, and average looks. She did not have to wear any handicaps. Diana Moon Glampers was the model totalitarian ruler. In order to feel above the people you rule, force those who are better than you down. By making everyone at her level, she would feel more powerful. It was not a matter of equality that made everyone wear handicaps, but rather a vain leader.  
This realization hit Harrison hard, and his fists clenched just looking at this woman who had tried to kill him.  
"Glampers, mark my words I will stop this madness..." But how could he? He had already tried to overtake the government, and it had almost cost him his life. Harrison began to pace around, thinking. A direct approach had not worked... However, his near-death experience had in a way humbled him. He wasn't willing to rush into things, or force the world all at once. Now he would be sneaky. People thought he was dead, so he could make his plans secretly... This time he would be more careful... This time he would have supporters... This time he would not fail... 


	2. Help Arrives

Disclaimer: I do not own "Harrison Bergeron" or any characters or themes associated with it. I also do not own the title of this story, it belongs to Mordred.  
  
Help Arrives  
  
Charles Sanders had been one of the musicians in the "incident" that had occurred the day before. He could barely remember it however. Charles wore a mental handicap because of his ability to play the violin, and he played it well. All he knew was that he was shaken up about something and whenever his mental handicap happened to play a gunshot, memories flooded back and he shivered. There was one thing he did remember however, and that was that he had forgotten his violin at the TV studio. His wife had been reminding him for the past two days to go back and retrieve it, and now he was finally making his way down the street to the studio.  
When Charles crawled through the boarded up door, he came upon almost complete darkness.  
"Hello?" He called, searching for anyone that could help him. Suddenly, a woman's scream wrought the air. Charles jumped, thinking someone was in trouble. Then he remembered his ear. He tried to search his scattered thoughts to figure out what he was doing.  
"Violin, violin..." he thought over and over again. Charles struck a match to help him see through the darkness. A few crates, various sets, some equipment, but no violin. He continued along, until finally he reached the set he had been on the other day. A revolver went off in his head and he winced, but the day before rushed back to him. The ballerina, the all- powerful teenager, the musician against equality, all of it flooded into his head. Charles lit a new match and surveyed the scene. It was a tragic sight indeed, but something was wrong... There was the ballerina, and the violinist, but there was no third body... Charles jumped as a palm the size of a football rested on his shoulder. Charles turned around to look at the man. There was no mistaking who this giant was, for his face would have awed Thor.  
"It can't be! You're dead!"  
  
***  
  
Harrison had been trying to figure out a plan when he had heard Charles Sanders come in. He hid in the shadows, debating with himself over whether the intruder was a friend or a foe. What he saw was a rather scrawny man, with slightly graying brown hair and sunken eyes. Harrison recognized the man as one of the musicians from the other day and thought maybe he could receive help from him. He now sat with Charles, explaining what had happened. Charles meanwhile, was grimacing every 20 seconds or so.  
"Would you like me to take that mental handicap out for you? It's kind of hard to concentrate with it, isn't it?" Charles fingered the device in his ear. "It's all right, no one will know, and you can put it back in when you leave." Charles finally gave in, and Harrison plucked the handicap from his ear. "Charles, you're obviously a very intelligent man, I need your help." Charles eyed him warily.  
"Why do you need my help?"  
"You see, I'm just about fed up with this world of "equality". All it means is that people like us can't strive to be our best. We can't be who we were born to be. Don't you agree?"  
"Well, I do love to play the violin... But I never get to play like I want to..." Charles stroked his violin nervously.  
"EXACTLY! We need to stop this madness! Why should those who are average run our lives? We should be free to live our lives like we want to."  
"I guess..."  
"Well, I figure the only way that's going to happen is if I take control of the government! So I've been thinking of a plan..."  
"Pardon me, Harrison, but your last plan to take control of the government didn't exactly work." Charles glanced over at the two bodies on the ground.  
"You're right, but that was only because I had not planned out my strategy before hand. Now, I'm going to be careful, and look before I leap. However, like I said, I need your help."  
"And like I said before, why do you need my help."  
"Well, you want to strive to be your best, just like me, so I want you to join me."  
"I don't know Harrison..." Harrison didn't like this hesitation; he needed this man's help.  
"Or if you don't want to take such a drastic action, there is something else I need. Everyone thinks I'm dead, but that doesn't mean I can just waltz down Main Street to the local grocery store. If I were caught, they'd shoot me dead. And I can't exactly stay inside all day either without food or water; I'd be a goner. If you could come visit me every few days and bring some basic supplies, I'd be much appreciative." Charles stood up and placed his hat on his head.  
"I must be going Harrison, my family will be missing me."  
"Please say you'll consider my request..." Harrison was nervous.  
"I will consider it, Harrison, but that is all I can promise. I have a family to support, and it would be dangerous for them and for me if I were to join up with you. If the General Handicapper found out, I would be a dead man. My family cannot live without me. I want equality to end as much as you, but if it puts the ones I love in danger... I don't know if I can risk that..." Harrison stood up as well and tried to plead.  
"Please Charles..."  
"I said I would consider it. Good day Harrison."  
  
***  
  
The sun set and rose and still there was no sign of Charles. With each passing hour, Harrison became more worried. He was thirsty and hungry, but he could do nothing about it. There were probably H-G men roaming the streets. All he could do was sit and watch television, but seeing those images of equality simply made him angry. At the end of the third day, as Harrison was resting, a clatter came from the back of the building. Praying it wasn't an H-G man; Harrison crept through the shadows to the source of the noise. A match was lit and a voice called out,  
"Hello? Harrison?" Harrison's heart leapt, he had returned!  
"Charles! You decided to join me?"  
"I haven't decided that yet. However, on the way home I realized that I couldn't be responsible for a man starving to death. You'll have to forgive me for taking so long, all the constant sounds can jumble a man's thoughts." How could Harrison not forgive him? He finally had food!  
"Here Charles, let me take that handicap from your ear..." He plucked it out and took a sandwich from the bags Charles had brought him. He tore through it with his teeth, ravenous for anything edible. It tasted good. Not great, because no one was allowed to cook better than anyone else, but still to a starving man it was heaven. "So did you put any thought into joining me?"  
"Very little, I'm afraid."  
"I wish I could convince you that the benefits far outweigh the risks..."  
"It's going to take a lot of convincing..." Harrison sighed. Then he eyed the other package that Charles had brought with him. He had brought the violin.  
"Play."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Play your violin. I'll prove to you how great it will be to rid the world of equality. Play it, and play your best."  
So Charles played. 


	3. Harrison's Plan

Disclaimer: I do not own "Harrison Bergeron" or any characters or themes associated with it. I also do not own the title of this story, it belongs to Mordred. Note: I apologize for any formatting problems, I'm still getting used to the update system...  
  
Harrison's Plan  
  
For the next few days, Harrison watched various television shows and took notes. He would scan the channels for the people with the most hideous masks, the largest mental handicaps, and the heaviest weights. Whenever he saw someone who matched one of those categories, he would listen for their name and write it down. After four days of this, he had a rather large list compiled.  
Charles would drop by occasionally with supplies, and he happened to visit on that fourth day.  
"Ah Charles, it's good to see you!" Harrison said, digging for some food in the bag. Like always he plucked out the mental handicap and the two sat down to chat.  
"Anything interesting on?" Charles asked.  
"Nothing above average..." Harrison said, shrugging. He turned off the television and took out the list from his pocket. "Charles, I need you to do me another favor."  
"What is it Harrison?" Charles had become more willing to do errands for Harrison ever since he had remembered the joys of playing the violin.  
"Scope out these people for me. Tell them to come to the TV studio next Saturday at 7:00 PM if they want a better life. That's all they need to know."  
"Sounds kind of dangerous, Harrison..." Harrison placed his palm on Charles' thin shoulder.  
"Don't worry, no other details are needed. I'm sure you won't run into any problems..."  
"Why do you need to see these people?" Harrison looked off into the distance and sighed.  
"I think it's time we started building up the ranks."  
  
Saturday evening came and Harrison was preparing. He knew he was taking a huge risk by inviting all these strangers here. Any one of them could be affiliated with the H-G and his cover would be blown. However, he also knew that no plan was without its risks. He would just have to be ready for the worst. If anything went wrong, there was a door behind him that he could exit through. From there was an open manhole leading to the sewer. Harrison wouldn't be looking forward to hiding in the sewers, but it was better than being six feet under.  
He also wore a buck shot bag over his chest, just in case.  
The clock down the hall struck 7. It was time. Harrison had set up a few rows of chairs in the middle of the TV studio, and they were ready to be filled with occupants. 7:01 and still nothing. Harrison began to pace. Had Charles contacted them? Then there came a knock at the door.  
Harrison ducked behind a crate and observed who had come in. A woman with a mask on walked into the room perplexed and took a seat. Then came a man with a mental handicap. A young man with a buckshot bag on his neck and an ugly mask came next. People continued to file in, and by 7:15 the room was full. It was Harrison's cue.  
Harrison walked to the center of the room and stood on top of a crate. A gasp was heard from some people who recognized him, some were frightened of this giant before them, and others were confused. Harrison smiled cheerfully.  
"Welcome everyone! Please feel free to take off your handicaps." Nobody moved. There were a few cries of disapproval, stating how much trouble they could get it for that. Harrison, however, continued to smile warmly and dismissed their pleas.  
"Now, now, no need to worry! Who is going to know? I won't tell the H- G men! Please, take them off; I'll help anyone who can't take theirs off." They were still hesitant, and yet this stranger spoke like there was nothing to worry about... They believed him. Harrison walked around; helping people with difficult handicaps remove their burdens. He then returned to the front of the room, and spoke.  
"Now doesn't that feel better?" He spoke slowly, trying to deliver his point as well as he could. "You don't have to feel suffocated by a mask. Your muscles don't cry out in agony. Your thoughts aren't constantly leaving you!" Many nodded. One man, however, stood up, unwilling to dismiss a thought that was running through his head.  
"You look familiar..." Harrison smiled again.  
"My name is Harrison Bergeron..." More gasps echoed throughout the room.  
"It can't be!"  
"You're dead!"  
"I saw them shoot you on live TV." Harrison dismissed their cries again.  
"Well, if you saw them shoot me, then you must have also seen what I was carrying. I could walk around with three hundred pounds! I wore headphones and wavy glasses! They placed whatever they could on my face to offset my looks! I am strong friends; certainly a gunshot wound could not kill me..." Harrison wasn't about to admit that his life had been saved by the weights he carried. His lie was much more of a persuasive argument. The crowd silenced, awed by this man who could not die. Harrison continued.  
"As I was saying, doesn't it feel great to be yourselves, freed of your handicaps?" More people in the crowd nodded. "That is the point I have been trying to make! I am fed up with this society of so called "equality"! We are not free to be ourselves! We have to settle being average, even though we are most certainly above average. Look at yourselves! You must suffer and carry various burdens just because you were born more talented. I ask you, is this fair?" Most of the crowd nodded, but one woman stood up. "But without equality, we would return to the dark ages of competition!" Harrison shook his head in mock despair. "The age of competition was not dark, friend, that is just what the Handicapper General tells you to keep others from questioning authority. Think about it, when we were competing, great innovations were made! Would we have gone to the moon if there were no competition? No! Without competition, our country wouldn't even exist today!" The woman sat down, satisfied, and the others began to realize how useless equality was to them. "I intend to change this world we live in, to bring equality to an end and allow everyone to be their best. I will take down the Handicapper General Diana Moon Glampers and rule as emperor! However, I need your help friends! You see, a single ant cannot take down a brick wall."  
"How can we help?" called someone in the audience, for the crowd was completely behind him now.  
"You have all been oppressed by the weaklings of our society, even though you know you deserve to be your best! Why do you stand for it friends? Why do you let those below you rule your lives? Under my leadership, you will be free to be yourselves! However, in order to do so, I need you all behind me and together we will take down Diana Moon Glampers! Rebel my friends! REBEL!"  
The crowd was uncontrollable, and they cheered loudly. "HARRISON BERGERON!" and "DOWN WITH EQUALITY" they shouted. Harrison was lucky the TV studio was soundproof, because such a roar would have been heard up to a mile away. Harrison chose this time to speak up again.  
"Friends, another way that you can support me is to tell any of your family or comrades that wish to have a better life about my message! I will be having a rally every Saturday to gain support! Remember, I can't do this without you!" The crowd continued to cheer and Harrison walked away, smiling. He turned to Charles, who had been standing behind him during the rally.  
"It's a start." 


	4. Betrayal

Disclaimer: I do not own Harrison Bergeron or any plots/characters related to the short story by Kurt Vonnegut. I also do not own the title to this story, it belongs to Mordred here on  
  
Betrayal  
  
Harrison's rallies continued, and his audience simply grew in number. More and more people began to realize the downside to equality and thought that a better life would follow if Harrison became emperor. They followed this fourteen-year-old willingly, and pretty soon an army of sorts began to rise. Every Saturday, crowds would flock to the old TV studio to listen to this young man speak to them like a friend and promise a better life. They were the best and brightest in the country, and they supported Harrison wholeheartedly.  
  
Harrison had even formed a council with which he could discuss plans. On it was the best of the best. The most talented artist, the most accurate sharpshooter, the most talented athlete, and various others were all on the council. Of course Charles was also on it, as second in command. Harrison would meet with his council and discuss various issues, mostly involving how their new government would run. He promised all of them high political positions for their loyalty, so of course they followed him.  
  
Everything was going smoothly for Harrison, and his dream was coming true. With maybe a few more people, they could storm the office of the Handicapper General and force her into submission. With her down, her country could do nothing. It would be like a snake without a head. From there, Harrison would take over and he would stop this madness. He was so close to his final goal. Everything was perfect! Or so he thought.  
  
This was going to be his last rally, Harrison thought. His crowd had almost doubled, and everything was ready for the conquest. After tonight, at a later date they would storm the capital and end equality. He spoke passionately to his crowd, raising their enthusiasm.  
  
"And so friends, how can they say equality is beneficial if..."  
  
BANG! The sound of the TV studio door being kicked in reverberated throughout the room and shots rang out. There at the entrance was a small group of H-G men and Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison was dumbstruck and couldn't calculate how such an event could take place. He was in shock! The only thing that knocked him out of his stupor was a strong impact in his chest that knocked the wind out of him. He fell back a few steps and looked down at his chest to where his bag of buckshot had once again been blown open.  
  
"Not again..." He said through clenched teeth. Fortunately this time though, he ended up conscious. Screams wrought the air as H-G men aimed their guns at various audience members. Thankfully, their aim was not very good. In this world of equality, even they were forced to wear handicaps, which included large weights. The best marksmen in the group had to use pellet guns, so that they would have the same chance of killing someone as the average marksmen. Still, some bullets did meet their targets. Harrison had to think fast, for everyone in the room now had a target on their back. Diana would not allow this uprising to take place...  
  
"Everyone over here!" he shouted to his followers, and he rushed out the emergency back entrance. Most of the crowd made it out safely, and Harrison barricaded the door. "That won't hold them very long... Down the manhole!" he shouted once more, and everyone obeyed. When the last woman made it down safely, Harrison followed. He held the manhole cover in place with all of his strength. Down in the sewer, there was general chatter, but Harrison yelled for them to be quiet. The voices died down just in time. Diana and her men crashed through the door and observed the back alley.  
  
"Where did they go, madam?"  
  
"I don't know... They probably ran off in that direction. It shouldn't be too hard to find them; they all forgot their handicaps inside... Also, we have that list of the major members of their rebellion remember? We'll find them. Don't worry."  
  
Down in the sewer, Harrison was furious. His cover was ruined. His plan was ruined! It would be difficult to take over if Glampers had men constantly on the lookout for him. He still couldn't get over seeing her standing there, rifle in hand. How had she known? How did he find her? Then, it hit him.  
  
"We were ratted out..." he snarled. The large crowd around him muttered, wondering who could do such a thing.  
  
"Who told her? WHO TOLD? WHAT TRAITOR DID THIS?" Harrison's voice grew into a shout, and the people surrounding him looked up in fear at the power of this boy. Harrison looked them all in the eye, but mainly he just detected fear. Then he reached a pair of eyes who showed two emotions, fear and guilt. The eyes avoided Harrison's gaze. Those eyes gave away the traitor. Those sunken eyes...  
  
Charles had often felt Harrison's gigantic hand on his shoulder, offering advice. He had known the power of those hands, but whenever he had come in contact with them they had been gentle. Now was not the case. Now, the hands were not on his shoulders, they were around his neck.  
  
"HOW COULD YOU CHARLES?"  
  
"There were rumors, Harrison, rumors of someone trying to take over the government! They came to my house and threatened my family! I had to tell them!" Charles gulped, gasping for air.  
  
"You didn't have to tell them anything, you traitor! I trusted you!" Harrison's face was red with fury; he shook and never once lifted the vice on Charles' neck.  
  
"Harrison, you can't do this to me! I saved your life! Without me, you wouldn't be where you are today! You owe me!"  
  
"I owe you? Look at these men and women around you! Their lives are in danger; some have already lost their lives, all because of you! I don't owe you anything!"  
  
"Please Harrison! They were going to kill me and my family." Charles pleaded, his eyes filled with tears. Harrison didn't budge.  
  
"You should have known anyway Charles, that by signing with them signed your death contract. Pity, you would have made a good duke."  
  
Harrison's grip tightened. 


	5. Regime Change

_Disclaimer: Sorry for the long update! Awkward Grin This is the last chapter and as always, Harrison Bergeron and all related themes and characters belong to Kurt Vonnegut and the wonderful title to this story belongs to Mordred._

_**Regime Change**_

Harrison paced through the sewers, rubbing his temples. He had to come up with a plan… He had to get everyone out of this mess. His followers watched him pace, expectantly.

"What are we going to do, Harrison?" Through the quiet Lily Thompson, a member of Harrison's council spoke up. "They know who we are. If we return home, we're doomed, and if we stay down here we'll starve. What will we do?" Harrison stopped pacing and ran his hand through his hair. Lily described the same situation Harrison had been in before. A wanted man, trapped inside without any supplies. So how had he solved that problem? He had received help from the outside.

"Well, friends, I have a solution. I had hoped I wouldn't be needing this kind of help, but we are in dire need…" Harrison dug into his pockets and took out a list. "Here is a list of five members of Diana's government. They too are sick of equality, mainly because they cannot advance in politics under equality's rules. I've been meeting with them in secret, and I have their allegiance. They can help us infiltrate the government. Does anyone here still happen to have their handicaps with him or her?" Only one person in the back spoke up.

"Aye, Harrison, I kept 'em on." Harrison smiled.

"Good, go to the surface, and find these five. Give them the message that the attack will take place at dawn tomorrow. They'll know what to do. Now hurry!" The young man climbed out of the manhole and dashed off. Lily was still concerned, however.

"But Harrison, what can we all do now?"

"Well, do you all still want to live in a world where you're free?" Everyone nodded. "Then we wait, and we plan."

None of the revolutionaries slept that night, so when the sun rose they were prepared. They quietly made their way through the sewers, to their destination. Harrison led his followers through the manhole and onto the street. Thankfully, it was still early to be out. No H-G men roamed the streets, not a person was in sight, and it was almost peaceful. The only sound was of a television playing in a tired household.

"There have been reports of dangerous individuals, plotting to overthrow the government. Mr. Harrison Bergeron leads them, and under no circumstances should they be reasoned with. If you run into any individual without his or her handicaps, contact your local H-G men immediately. Now for the weather…" Harrison shook his head sadly as he watched the television from outside. He prayed this whole thing would work out.

They arrived at the capital building and quickly took to hiding in the bushes. Not a sound was made, and they kept still so that the leaves around them would not be rustled. They laid in wait for an hour. Finally, what they had been waiting for arrived. An older looking man with silver hair came to the bushes with a large box. Behind him was a red-haired lady with an even larger box. Neither wore handicaps.

"This is Lawrence and Amanda, they work in the capital." Harrison said, standing up. "They brought us supplies for the attack. If you go to Lawrence, he will hand you a gun. Amanda will then give you a buckshot bag which you must wear over your chest at all times." Harrison emphasized this part. "Trust me, it has saved my life a number of times." The crowd stealthily lined up and received their gear. Lawrence and Amanda then left the revolutionaries, and entered the capital. The workday would soon begin.

They waited until 7:00 AM, and then Harrison turned to speak to his followers.

"Diana Moon Glampers is inside now. Friends, I want you to know how brave you are and that I respect you. You will be honored for years to come for your courage. When we go in there, remember, you are doing this for the good of our country. We have people inside at this very moment destroying the various security measures. They'll also supply backup if we need it. And don't worry about the guards inside. You have the advantage, for you are able to fight your best. They are held down by handicaps. Remember though, only shoot if you have to, our target is the Handicapper General. Good luck, friends." With that, the large crowd stormed the building.

Diana Moon Glampers smirked to herself as she worked at her desk. She had finally squashed the rebellion. Harrison Bergeron may have avoided her once, but not again. She had H-G men stationed all around, in houses, in stores, on the lookout for the rebels. She would snuff them out eventually, and when she did… Anyone without a handicap would be shot. Equality was here to stay.

As Diana signed various papers, she heard loud noises coming from down the hall.

"What's all the ruckus?" She thought to herself. If it were those interns again, she swore she would…. The scream of a door being torn off its hinges. Diana froze. That was an all too familiar noise. She ran to her door to see what was going on, but there was no need to. As she reached for the knob, it was torn away. In the frame there stood a giant. Diana screamed, her face completely pale. It couldn't be… She had stationed guards…bought the most advance security devices… But now stood the giant Harrison in front of her, a pistol pointed down at her face. Where had he gotten a gun? How could this be happening? This was all a dream she knew it.

"Hello, Glampers. Surprised to see me?" Dreams didn't talk.

Harrison prepared to address the nation on live TV. He had done it. They had won. The Handicapper General was tied up at his feet, her men guarded by his followers. All had worked out and his plan was successful. Equality was coming to an end.

"Sir, what should we do with Ms. Glampers?" a man asked. Harrison smirked down at her. She wore a face of pure fright, pale, expecting the worst.

"After the broadcast lock her up, but don't let any harm come to her. She will live to see her empire fall."

"As you wish, sir." After a few minutes, the cameras turned on Harrison. The red light, indicating a live broadcast, flashed on. Harrison took a deep breath, and began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let it be known that from this day forth, I am the emperor. I have the Handicapper General captive and the H-G men are now under my rule. I have a council of the elite, the best and brightest of our country, to help me rule." He spoke calmly, unlike his last struggle for power, and this time it was effective. The people in the country with handicaps could not oppose such a powerful figure that offered them so much. The average citizens could do nothing to cease his plan. There was no Diana Moon Glampers to shoot him down. Harrison Bergeron really was the emperor.

"I ask you all to now cast aside you handicaps and reenter a world where equality does not rule our lives. Do not try to oppose me, for I stand before you more powerful then any man. I was shot and considered dead, and yet I stand before you today, very much alive. I cannot be killed. I am immortal! So accept my ruling now, as your emperor. I assure you, life will be much better this way." Diana Moon Glampers cried out, unwilling to accept this ruling.

"My first order is that the 211th, 212th, and 213th amendment be abolished." It was at this moment, that Harrison Bergeron could have taught the world a lesson. That by favoring a specific thing only led to problems. That people should be free to be who they wanted to be. He had the chance to return the world to the way it was. Unfortunately, Harrison fell victim to the disease that plagues all leaders with absolute power. He wanted the perfect world in his eyes. He wanted revenge for all the torments he had been through, carrying heavy weights, hearing loud noises every twenty seconds, and being forced to hide his face. Absolute power corrupted Harrison Bergeron.

"My second order is that from this day forth, the best shall rule our land. Their talents make them stand out in society. They are, and have always been, above the average, and from this day forth their talents will be realized. Anyone who is average will be forced in any way possible to eliminate his or her mediocrity. Those who refuse to be above average will be shot. This ruling will be enforced by my newly instated A-A men." The former H-G men stood behind Harrison.

"We will create a society filled with outstanding individuals, and we will be the envy of the world!"

"The best shall inherit! The best shall rule!" The crowd of elite that stood around Harrison cheered.


End file.
